St Bernard, Holy Foley… Bernard Foley is thriving. There is no doubt about it. He has cemented himself as Australia’s preferred number ten in the course of a few weeks.
This World Cup he has shown how much maturity and skill he has developed over the past few years.
Compare him to Quade Cooper. Cooper has kicked 5 from 11 this world cup while Foley has 17 out of 19. While they both have two tries, Foley has came up against harder opponents and hasn’t got a yellow card.
This is just looking at the stats. If you actually watch the games you can easily see why Cheika wants Foley in the team.
He sets up plenty of great plays and is behind most of the tries. Having a highly skilled scrum half in Will Genia also helps, but what really has benefited Foley is the effort he’s putting in.
Take, for example, the game against England, when the ball was almost certainly going into touch but he heroically dived over the sideline and kept the ball in just to gain more metres and to set up the team.
His imput is also evident when he receives the ball. Twelve months ago he wasn’t making the right decisions all the time.
He would run an inside line when there was a clear overlap on the wing or he would try and create something when it wasn’t there.
Now, during the World Cup, he carries the ball when he needs to and hands off beautiful passes to set up pre-rehearsed plays.
Foley is way more alert and hard working than he was previously. He has bloomed at just the right time for the Wallabies and this is why he is part of Michael Cheika’s top fifteen.
While Foley is having a dream World Cup the likes of Kurtley Beale and Matt Toomua are also finding their feet.
While they cannot join Israel Folau, Matt Giteau, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Tevita Kuridrani in the starting fifteen, the majority of the time they are both playing exceptional games off the bench. This is a great sign, especially for Beale who, twelve months ago, was competing with Foley for the number ten jersey before off-field issues forced him out of the team.
Now he has returned stronger than ever and is playing for a spot anywhere in the backs.
With Scotland ahead and then a likely semi-final against Ireland just watch out for these three, especially Foley.
I have a sneaking suspicion that Australia may be on track to win their first World Cup in sixteen years because of some Bernard Foley excellence.
Roarers, do you agree?
John Sertori
Roar Rookie
If that had been QC, the kick would've been charged down and he'd have got a yellow card as well...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You should have waited until after the game to make your comment. Kicked charged down for a try.
mtiger
Roar Rookie
And tonight the title of the article should formally be changed to: Really, Foley? Painful display from a flyhalf in a RwC quarter final in a winning side
John Sertori
Roar Rookie
Never ever said Foley doesnt make errors. But when he does, he makes less of them than QC and their magnitude has less impact on a game (3 less yellow cards for starters.....) Maybe, juuuuust maybe this is part of the reason Cheika hasn't started him at this World Cup. Never said other players don't make errors either. Now you're just making stuff up... : )))
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Hey Not Bothered Is your full screen name "Not Bothered to answer a question when I can just go off on a rant" The forward pass between your legs - is it a good option for a fly-half to take or not ?
Billy Pulver
Guest
QC is a liability... lets hope Folau is fit for the next one which will probably mean this will be QC's last test ever thankfully.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
no, it's delusional to say Cooper makes errors but ignore that Foley does too. You could count as many errors and failings from foley against Wales on the weekend. A number were unforced. Nobody is claiming cooper is flawless, people just dispute the narrative people like you create implying he consistently puts in error riddled performances and other players never make errors.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
perfect logic. Coach made a choice so it must be right. Not like a coach has ever made a mistake.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
That make sense if he'd never played a good game. He has played plenty though.
TP
Guest
Absolutely well said Dave.
TP
Guest
Rediculous article that is based on pure fiction. Foley has had one great test match in his career. His game against England was as good as I have seen. Apart from that game he has never been better than an average Super Rugby 10. He is in the team because he is a Warratah. Full Stop.
John Sertori
Roar Rookie
Hear hear. NB... Their own little world indeed....Watch out using words like "delusional" though, or one gets asked to go to a "psychology" forum. (Face palm)
Mike
Guest
Re comments that Quade won't get in the 23 now, that is just the nature of the beast. Cheika is unlikely to take a specialist flyhalf on the bench, rather he prefers a 12 who can cover 10 if needed. So, Toomua or Beale. Foley clearly has the edge at present, hence Quade is unlikely to make the team, but that doesn't change the fact that he is Cheika's second choice flyhalf. Equally, if Quade plays, Foley is unlikely to make the team. On a different note, those of you who say you never saw any sign of how good Foley can be - that may say more about you than about him. ;) Anyway, every player is only as good as their latest game, so fingers crossed for tomorrow night.
Not Bothered
Guest
He only wants to hear one thing. He cant cope with whats happening imo so he trys to deny everything. The sad thing is that Cooper with be absolutely awful and they will all try to suggest that he was actually good but then will suggest that Foley is the one where people are so keen to overlook his mistakes. Why we bother to try and explain it to those unwilling to even listen is a mystery. They dont want to hear it and will always refuse to accept it. Their is very good reasons why Cooper isnt being selected, you tell them this and they deflect and deny without fail. Let them stay in their own world.
RobC
Roar Guru
omg. These arguments are mind numbing. Can we have some kind of moratorium on Foley Cooper debates. Unless its something original.
Not Bothered
Guest
Its like saying "Bob Smith misses too many tackles" and you replying by saying "yeah but John Smith missed a tackle once". Its pointless. QC supporters always blame others for QCs faults or deny their existance. They then always attack those preferred over him. The worst on here make stuff up like "Foley never performs under pressure like in the NH" when Foleys best games have been under pressure in the NH. They say "Australia will never make it out of the pools with Foley". They finished top of the pool of death with Foley. They say that "Aus will only score trys against Eng with Cooper" Aus scores more trys with Foley at 10 against Eng. Then Cooper gets overlooked and they wonder why. They come up with conspiracy theories, Cheks fav being Foley or it being a NSW thing. Then they start saying that Cooper hasnt had enough game time under Cheks. Hes started 4 games under Cheks and played a total of about 4.5 games worth of mins. The reason you guys cant understand why Cooper is overlooked is because you deflect and deny. If you looked at it in a rational way you would understand. I mean, after Coopers game against NZ in which he faultered under the highball, turned the ball over, made no line breaks or created any, got a yellow card whilst giving away a penalty try and made a few other errors such as kicking the ball dead from within his own half and passed the ball over the sideline, many of you were trying to say he was GOOD!? Do you seriously think thats how Cheks sees it? A guy creates nothing, makes unforced errors and gets sent off whilst giving away a penaltu try and Cheks would say "well played!". Its dellusional.
wirimu
Guest
QC has already had close on 60 chances as a Wallaby............. how many more do you want to give him
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Hey Adorimedia, There's probably a psychology today blog out there somewhere where participants get to post as much character analysis as they like. This one is supposed to be about rugby.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
What about throwing a forward pass between your legs - what kind of option is that ?
John Sertori
Roar Rookie
TWAS - You dispel diddly. These "facts" you talk about are either 1. not facts or 2. details that you twist to suite your own argument and then claim as "facts:. And you seem to go to very long lengths to prove it, to the point that opposers eventually give up on the conversation. Which you then probably claim as a "victory". The end game of this conversation is that IF you were right then Cheika would have him in the run on side. He doesnt. So either Cheika knows more than you or....hmmmm I'll park that there. You just can't resist an argument - hence the Monty Python reference. (A sketch that I love by the way).